The Spherical Model

The world is round.

Welcome to SphericalModel.com

This site is a way to explain the meaning of all things. OK, not all things. But it is a way to simplify and arrange ideas political, economic, and social so that there can be a way to understand all these ideas rationally and simultaneously.

The model came about in early 2004. I was looking for a way to describe the political spectrum to my homeschooled children. For reasons that show up in the article called “The Political World Is Round,” the model became three-dimensional. And from there many things fit into place. When I applied the spherical model to social/moral/civilizational ideas, it fit there remarkably well. So I overlaid it on economic ideas, and it made sense there as well. In fact, it makes more sense when you see the political, economic, and social layers together. The eventual result is this website, to share the model.

The sphere, like a globe, has poles and hemispheres. So I use terms like north, south, east, and west directionally on the sphere—without these terms having any relationship to geographic locations on earth. It is essentially arbitrary how I use these directions. There’s a good vs. bad relationship between what I call north and south. But east and west are essentially neutral with decisions depending on specific situations.

North on the sphere means freedom. South on the sphere means tyranny. The western hemisphere represents individual/local interests. The eastern hemisphere represents larger interests, such as state, national, or global interests. Ideas fall somewhere on the sphere based on how they fit within these dichotomies: freedom vs. tyranny as well as localized interests vs. larger community interests.

If this model is true, then civilization (and general happiness of people) will thrive when the form of government stays firmly in the freedom zone, and the economy of this civilization will generally flourish and be resilient when recovering from disasters. But political freedom and free market do not guarantee thriving civilization, which depends on people’s social behavior. However, when people behave less civilized, it is highly likely that loss of freedom and deterioration of free market will follow. So we could say civilized behavior is the key to maintaining freedom and prosperity.

The site will apply the model to various issues, to show how making decisions based on the goal of keeping within the freedom/free market/civilization zone (a northern circle on the sphere) will always lead to the best outcomes.

The model is clearest to see when looking at the political world. So start with the article “The Political World Is Round.” I developed the model for the societal world next, followed by the economic world. However, I think understanding the interplay of these worlds will be clearer if we deal with the societal world last. So read “Free Enterprise vs. Controlled Economy” second and “Civilization vs. Savagery” third.

I will continue to add articles under each of these three main sections. Other parts of the website will include day-to-day commentary (a blog, essentially), as well as links to current commentary, to show how this model can be useful in dealing with decision making in our world, nation, state, and home.

The spherical model also works for economics. Free enterprise is the opposite pole from controlled economics (power over money held by a ruler or ruling elite). Personal interests vs. group interests continue to be the hemisphere divisions.

The spherical model also works for social/moral/religious issues. Civilization is at the opposite pole from savagery; civilization can be overlaid onto the freedom pole, and savagery can be overlaid onto the tyranny pole. Personal interests vs. group interests continue to be the hemisphere divisions.